Cost Comparison of Chlorine Sources

[Thehobe]

I do not know if Home depot has made a pricing mistake because the cost of 2 gallons of 10% chlorine is listed for $18.98! Yikes, that's a 45% increase from last years price. Walmart has 1 gallon/ 10% chlorine for $5.46, so I bought 32 gallons for the season. It's looking like a salt water generator is the only solution to this cost problem but it costs ~$0.40/kWh for electricity in California so to run the pool for 6-8 hours with a 2HP motor + 1HP skimmer motor is going to cost $8/day to generate the chlorine! That's $250/month just for running the salt system during the Summer months! Is it time to fill in the pool?

 

[Oly]

Look into a variable speed pump. You can run the pump at a much lower rpm (less kWh) and still generate FC. It also allows scheduling higher flow rates to power a cleaner or better skim the surface if needed. Can you utilize time of use and run your system when rates are lower? Why do you need two pumps, is one for your floor cleaner? Your 1 hp pump will probably drive your SWCG. You have options and I agree, $10 a gallon for 10% is outrageous.

 

[PoolStored]

You are in one high priced zip code. Luckily, @Newdude forced me to buy an SWCG in late 2021. Run my VSP (<20$/month) and fully expect my $1400 SWCG to last 5 years (I manage CSI carefully to protect the SWCG).

Given the cost of chlorine, in your zip code, you would be very wise to get a VSP and an SWCG.

Let's assume you use .5 gallons per day of LC. (20K gallon pool, 2.5 FC usage per day). You will spend $1,733.75 per year on chlorine alone. Most SWCG are less than that...and will last at least 3 years if you maintain CSI.

I don't understand the pump situation (2hp+1hp), but setting that aside, I would put in a VPS and SWCG, let's call it $3500 total (assuming DIY install). Easy 2 year payback.

Can you post pictures of your equipment pad and fill out your signature? I'm sure we can help you out.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Newdude]

+1. You have long CA seasons and high prices of both electric and bleach. Your ROI's will be quick. Even if you pay someone to install the SWG this time and it costs $3k, future cells will be replaced by you (5 minutes to unplug/plug) and you won't have the controller cost or the install cost and it will only be $1k for the next *several years* of FC production.

 

[BowserB]

Normally, I tell people the cost of replacing a working single speed pump with a VSP is not worth it financially. However, that's here in east Texas with bottom line electric bills around .10 per kwh. The VSP might make sense for you. I don't know your punp, but Pentair says a VSP running at one half speed uses 1/8 as much electricity. You can take the math from there. Full speed for my VS pump is 3450 rpm, but I normally run it at 1600 for eight hours, and that speed is fast enough for the IC40. Also in June 2021 the chlorine shortage was upon us, and I had a Pentair IC40 installed. It's worked fine until November 2022 when it stopped communicating with my Pentair Intelliconnect. If disconnected from automation it still worked. However while waiting to get on the repair schedule for my authorized repair center, the whole IC40 stopped working. It was replaced under warranty. Still doesn't work with the Intelliconnect, and I'm still on the list for that fix. I can adjust the settings manually, and at least it's running.

Consider for new equipment. Pentair's warranty for self installed equipment is VERY limited, compared to authorized pro install. Check that before you buy Pentair (and maybe others) to install yourself. Example, the warranty is 60 days for most Pentair pool equipment self installed, but "extended" for pro installed. So my IC40 warranty was two years but would have been only 60 days if I had installed it myself (assuming I could have done that, which I'm pretty sure I could not.)

 

[midlifecrisis]

I do not know if Home depot has made a pricing mistake because the cost of 2 gallons of 10% chlorine is listed for $18.98! Yikes, that's a 45% increase from last years price. Walmart has 1 gallon/ 10% chlorine for $5.46, so I bought 32 gallons for the season. It's looking like a salt water generator is the only solution to this cost problem but it costs ~$0.40/kWh for electricity in California so to run the pool for 6-8 hours with a 2HP motor + 1HP skimmer motor is going to cost $8/day to generate the chlorine! That's $250/month just for running the salt system during the Summer months! Is it time to fill in the pool?

I have developed a theory that Home Depot would prefer not to sell LC at all, but rather than discontinue it all together, they have calculated that being much higher than anyone else which will reduce the sales volume thereby allowing them to justify discontinuing offering it altogether. That's my theory, anyway.

It could also be it is somehow costing them more (for whatever reason) to obtain it due to its inherent danger. I stopped looking at their prices. Wasn't even worth it. As of this morning since we signed off on the pool, February 2, I have purchased 13 gallons of LC. Only two came from HD. The rest Walmart until I have time to install my SWG.